How Does Cinnamon Help Control Diabetes?

Cinnamon happens to be a popular type of spice ingredient in Asian countries. The herb is known for its rich taste and flavour. Specifically, cinnamon is the bark of the cinnamon tree. Best cultivated in Sri Lanka, cinnamon is largely used in India, and its neighbouring states. In the United States too, cinnamon is known as ‘cassia’ or Chinese cinnamon.

Cinnamon barks are dark and bitter in taste. While they are used as whole in some culinary preparations, some people use them as powder. This relatively unpopular spice ingredient has significant medical usages for treating more than a few ailments. Diabetes is the most common disease that is well treated by cinnamon. Just a teaspoon full cinnamon contains over 1mg iron, 1gm fibre, and 28 mg calcium, in addition to adequate amount of vitamin K, C, and manganese.

Cinnamon Diabetes – How does Cinnamon help in curing Diabetes?

Cinnamon mainly grows in two varieties. One is called Ceylon cinnamon and the other one is cassis cinnamon, more commonly known as Chinese cinnamon. Many studies conducted on the relationship between diabetes and cinnamon; establish the benefits of the latter in curing type 2 diabetes. Some of these researches explain how cinnamon can effectively lower the blood sugar level of the diabetic patients. It is seen that the diabetic patients do not have control over the secretion of the insulin hormone. Intake of cinnamon helps to release the essential hormone that keeps diabetes under control.

An experiment required some diabetic patients to consume 1 to 6 gm of cinnamon for forty days consecutively. At the end of the experiment, the conclusion was drawn that intake of cinnamon on regular course lowered the percentage of cholesterol invariably among the patients. Besides, their blood sugar level was dropped by about 24% from the last time. This experiment further reinstated the significance of therapeutic effect of cinnamon for diabetes patients.

Is Cinnamon safe for diabetic patients? How Cinnamon benefits diabetes?

While it comes evident that cinnamon is helpful for the diabetes patients, many may doubt whether it is actually safe to intake regularly. Well, diabetic patients can confidently intake this spice in moderation on regular course, as the same has almost no side effect. However, people with liver damage should be careful about consuming this spice, as many of them may have adverse effect of the same.

Cinnamon supplements are generally considered as spice for cooking, not a medicine in raw form. Nevertheless, the same spice is used for preparing drugs. It is always advisable for a diabetic patient to purchase the same from a trusted shop, as the quality of the spice differs strikingly. One should check out the nutrition label maintained on the package. It will only reinsure the quality of the product. A diabetic patient, who takes medicines for other ailments as well, must consult a physician before eating cinnamon regularly.

How should Diabetic patients eat Cinnamon?

Cinnamon is a flavourful spice. It is an ideal option for replacing sugar present in various recipes. It tastes even better when used as spice or sugar alternative in meat, sauces, desserts, and vegetable dishes. One can also replace the sweetener with cinnamon for reducing the amount of sugar in the cooked food. Cinnamon can be mixed in pulled pork marinade, homemade barbecue sauce, berry compotes, and even in the marinara sauces.

Cinnamon can easily replace common sugar or brown sugar while cooking preparations with vegetables like carrot, candied yams, or sweet stir-fry. Using this spice in the cooking would gives the platter a sweet and complex flavour without the spike of glucose. Similarly, cinnamon can be effectively replaced in place of sugar for baking or canning.